Today’s new houses, condos and lofts are glitzier and glossier than ever. Ceilings are soaring, square footage is swelling and amenity lists are lengthening.
Even at the lowest price points, the Plain Jane house is rare.
But, what looks good on paper isn’t necessarily practical or comfortable. Before signing on the dotted line, a smart home buyer should watch out for things that may render that new home less than perfect after the purchase.
What are the common architectural features that drive home buyers crazy or may need slight modifications after moving in? Here’s what the experts told us:
A better boudoir
The good news about many of today’s spacious master bedrooms is their expanses of windows. The bad news is what many designers call “the bed problem.”
Between windows, fireplaces and doors to closets and bathrooms, it is possible there will be no wall big enough for the bed.
The solution, says designer Anita Cannella of Subtle Changes in Buffalo Grove and Arlington Heights, is to place the bed against the widest wall, even if it is lined with windows.
“Instead of using a solid-wood headboard, use one with an open look,” she says. “Then, behind the bed, use fabric panels to create a solid ‘wall’ behind the bed, beyond the width of the windows.”
Helpful hint: For a seamless look, buy extra-wide fabric from theater-supply companies such as Rose Brand in New York City (800-223-1624 or www.rosebrand.com).
A pique-less roof
Once upon a time, houses had simple roofs that simply kept them dry. Now, in order to add architectural interest to houses, builders top them with roofs with multiple peaks and dormers aplenty. This creates lots of valleys — roofer lingo for the parts where the angles meet and water flows.
Trouble is, the valleys are the most likely places for debris to collect. That causes ice to dam, which leads to roof leaks.
And, roofs that go every which way mean there is no clear path for attic air circulation, which is the key to preventing condensation, which drips down through walls and ceilings.
“If built right, the [multi-peaked] roof has lots of vents for air circulation and good-quality flashing to prevent leaks,” says Tom Bollnow, of the National Roofing Contractors Association. “But not every builder does this. You can meet [a building] code but have low-quality flashing and not enough vents.”
The remedy: keep those valleys and gutters clean. If that doesn’t work, hire a roofer to install better flashing and/or more vents.
Helpful hint: Roofs are difficult to inspect, so consider hiring a professional home inspector to do it for you before you buy, whether it is a new or existing house. Also, ask neighbors who have already weathered a winter if their roofs leaked.
Rooms that multi-task
Today’s cavernous great rooms present wall problems that can be similar to those of a master bedroom.
“If you line up furniture around the perimeter, it will look like a funeral home,” said Cannella. “Better to create several spaces with different uses: a seating area around fireplace or television, plus a game table with chairs, plus a reading chair with side table or bookcase.”
None of these rooms-within-rooms needs a wall for a backdrop, she adds. Instead, define the areas with lighting and area rugs (yes, even over carpeting).
Helpful hints: Before you build, specify floor electrical outlets for table lamps that will not be on the room’s perimeter. When you shop for furniture for the big room, think big furniture — overstuffed sectionals, colossal coffee tables and impressive armoires.
Up, up and away
Once relegated to high-end houses, dramatic volume ceilings are common now at every price point. But they can pull the eye upward, away from the room itself. “To bring down the ceiling to a comfort level, paint an architectural element of the ceiling, such as beams, soffit or one plane, the same color as the walls,” suggests designer Julea Joseph of Reinventing Space Interiors in Palos Park.
If the ceiling lacks architectural details, painting it a darker color than the walls can create the same effect, adds Joseph. Choose a ceiling color that is a few shades darker, but not so dark that it creates a night-sky illusion. “And, unless if you’re a hobbit, don’t paint it green,” she adds.
If too-tall walls add to the ballroom-look, consider adding trim or a shelf a foot or two below the top of the wall, to create the illusion of shorter walls and lower ceilings.
Helpful hint: For hard-to-reach heights, consider using non-wood trim and beams made low-maintenance composites. Some snap together, so don’t require mitered joints. Others have integral color so don’t even need painting.
Stone cold sober
The abundance of stone, marble and concrete products in today’s new houses say “solid” and “stable.” But, they also say “cold” and “noisy.”
Homeowners can temper this icy museum feeling with furnishings, says Jane Douglas, who co-owns Cary-based Redesigning Interiors in Cary with Kristine Porter.
“`Cozy-up’ the house with soft fabrics for furniture and window treatments, such as chenille and velvet,” says Douglas. “Stay away from leather, which is cold, too, and from furniture with hard, angular lines.”
Instead of adding to the glare with glass-covered artwork, says Douglas, choose oil paintings or textiles such as quilts and tapestries.
Choose wooden cabinets and floors in warm tones and use lots of area rugs. Dress furniture with plenty of pillows and throws. Personalize the rooms with family photos and children’s artwork.
“Buy more lamps — they literally warm up the place,” adds Douglas. “People rarely have enough. You may have plenty of can lighting, but it’s harsh and often 20 feet up high.”
Helpful hint: Supplement your large pieces of upholstered furniture with smaller wicker pieces (trunks, side tables, occasional chairs) from import stores. They suggest informality and are kind to the budget.
Less is more
“New” doesn’t necessarily mean “big,” especially in the city, where space is at a premium.
“When a builder squeezes a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo into a 1,000 square feet, something has to be sacrificed, and it is usually the closets,” reports Thaddeus Wong, principal of @properties LLC in Chicago. Indeed, rare is the homeowner who complains of too much storage space.
Wong suggests hiring a closet organizing pro or visiting a store specializing in organizing products. “They can help you use the closets you have more efficiently and find storage areas outside the closets — coat hooks in hallways, pot racks in the kitchen, drawers under the bed, ” he says.
Helpful hint: Before the walls go up, talk to your builder about adding shelves, cupboards, window seats and other built-in storage into nooks and crannies that would otherwise be covered up.
